Valve mechanism.



l. W.. DKXN.,

VAD/E MECHANSM.

APPLICATION man JULY 30,1913.

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. W. DIXON.

VALVE MECHANISM.

APPUcATsoN FILED JULY a0. |913.

Paten Aug. M, N17.

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:ins w. vnrxoNor AUSTIN, rLLrNors'AssmNon To nmnnrcN CAN COMPANY, or

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW-JERSEY.

VALVE MEoHANrsM.

LZSSSALW.

To all 'whom it may concern:

`Be 1t known that I, JAMES W. DIXON, a

I vcitizen of the United States, residing in Austin, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a newy and useful Improvement-in Valve Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in valve mechanism and moreparticularly lto valve mechanism for Huid pressure can test ing machines.

One object of my invention is to provide a valve mechanism for admitting air or other fluid under pressure to can testing machines, wherein the valve parts are relatively movable in a Way that produces a constant change in the relative positions of contacting or wearing surfaces, and thus prevents grooves or ridges being formed in the 'contaeting faces.

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements in theparts and devices and in the novel combinations of the parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed.

I have illustrated the invention as applied to a type of air can testing machine which employs a rotatable carrier or spider having a plurality of chucks or clamps adapted to seal and hold a can therein, a1r under pressure being supplied to the Iinteriors of the cans while the carrier or spider is rotating and-any decrease' of air'pressure within thecans, due to leaks, being communicated toa diaphragm-operated indicator, e which in turn opens or closes an electric circuit having a magnet therein for operating a trip which separates the leaky cans from the good ones, the transfer of air from the source of supply to the interiors of the cans and from the latter tothe -indicator being laccomplished through a valve having a relatively stationary, non-rotatable valve disk and a rotatable valve disk mounted on the carrier. Hitherto, so far as I am aware, the non-rotatable valve disk has always borne a constant relation relatively to the rotatable disk mounted on the carrier. This construction soon causes grooves or ridges to be worn in the contacting faces of the valve members, thereby permitting yleakage ofthe compressed air and decreasing the efficiency. of the tester. In my improvements, the two valve members, lthe relatively stationary, non-rotatable member and the -rotatable Specicationof Letters Patent. Patent-,Qd Aug, 141, 19H17, Application mea July so, 191s. serial No. 7eme?.

memberfhave their positions gradually and constantly varied so that the two parts never assume the same position more than once in a relatively large number of revolutions of the can carrier.

In fthe drawing forming a part of this speclication, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of .can tester embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a detail, en-

larged sectional view taken substantially on. the lme 2-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a side elel1, the latter in turn having mounted there on and rotatable therewith the hub or sleeve 12 of a carrier or spider 13, theparts being driven by a small gear (not shown) which engages with a gear 14: formed around" the periphery of the carrier 18. The carrier 13 i carries a plurality of relatively stationary sealing chucks 15 with each of which cooperates a' movable clamping chuck 16 secured to a slidable cradle17 mounted on a' rod .18 fixed to the carrier. Each cradle 17 also has a semi-cylindric pocket 19 adaptedlthe sealing chucks 15 by means of pitmen 21,' and crank-arms 22 .on the ends of radially arranged short shafts 23 mounted in suitable brackets on the carrier 13, each shaft 23 having fixed thereto at its inner end a short lever 24 carrying antifrction rollers 25 which are operated by a stationary' cam track 26. As will be understood, the cans are fedto the machine while the chucks 15 land 16 are separated, the chucks 16 are then moved to clamp the cans, whereupon the woy cans are carried around a part revolution during whichtime the testing takes place as hereinafter explained and subsequently the cans are released and ejected from the machine, the leaky or defective cans being ejected at one point in the revolution of the lcarrier by means of a trip governed hereinafter described, and the good orsound cans being ejected at another point in the revolution of the carrier, whereby the good and leaky cans are separated.l

Secured'to the carrier 13' and rotatable therewith isa vvalve, disk 27 having a valve seat or -face 28, see Fig. 4, in'which are` in communication with an annular groove 32.

j bearings'for the shaft 11, is a fixed sleeve Mounted in the left-hand standard 10, as viewed in Fig. 1, and forming one of the 33 having a disk 34 on its inner end., said disk 34 being provided with a plurality of pockets 35, see Fig.l 2, in each of which is mounted a short spring 36, said springs 36' bearing against the outer face of a rela@y tively. stationary, non-rotatable valve disk A 37, whereby the latter is held yieldingly but firmly in close contact with the rotatable valve disk 27. The non-rotatable valve disk 37 is provided with a valve seat 38 which, as shown, is in the form of anv annular plate of bronze or other suitable material, secured to the disk 37. The valve disk 37 is provided with a pair of ports 39 and 40 radially alined with each other andin communication with a suitable source of compressed air by means of the pipe 41. rIhe port 39 is so placed that it will aline successively with the ports 29 of the rotatable valve disk and the port 40 is located soA that it comes into successive alinement with the ports 30. The non-rotatable disk 37 is also provided with two ports 42 and 43 which are out of alinement radially with each other and each of which is in communication by pipes 44 and 45 with the same side of a flexible diaphragm 46 mounted in a pressure chamber 47, see Fig. 5. The diaphragm 46 has secured thereto a depending rod 48 which op* crates a lever 49, the lever 49 when shifted upward engaging a contact 5() at its righthand end, as viewed in Fig. 5, thereby closing an electric circuit having included there in suitable magnets and other devices for operating a trip, but which are not herein shown as the same do not constitute a part of this invention. The chamber 47 is kept at the air tank or supply pressure through a pipe 51 and, as will be understood, when the pressures on both sides of the diaphragm 46 are equal, the lever 49 will be out ofengagement with the electric contact 50 but upon a decrease of pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm 46, the circuit will be closed, as hereinbefore described, for the purpose of operating a trip to eject defective cans from the machine.

The stationary disk 34 is provided with a slide-way or gate 52 in which reciprocates .a slide-plate 53, the latter having apin 54 secured thereto, said'pin 54'being pivotally connected to the non-rotatable valve disk 37, see Fig. 1; The valve disk 37 is given' j a constant, gradually changing, eccentric movement relatively to the rotatable valve disk 27 by means of an eccentric pin 5 5 on the end of a short, horizontal, rotatable ,shaft 56, the latter being rotated by a gear 57 and gear 58, the'latter being vfixed to the end of the shaft 11. If the gears 57 and 58 were provided with the same number of teeth thedisk 37 would receive one complete'eccentric movement relatively to the rotatable valvedisk 27 for each complete revolution` of the carrier 13 and the two. members 27 and y37 of thevalve would assume the same relative positions once in every single rotation of the carrier, but by providing the gears '57 and 58. with different numbers of teeth, say 49 and 50, respectively, which I do, the period of time required for each complete eccentric move- -ment of the disk 37 is made slightly diiferent than the period of time required for a.

complete rotation of the carrier 13, with the result that the disks`27 and 37 onl occupythe same relative positions once in fty revolutions of the carrier where the gears 57 and 58l are providedY with the number of teeth specified. By varying the relative .number of teeth in the gears 57 and 58, the

number of revolutions of the carrier which must elapse before the disk members 27 and 37 occupy the same relative positions, can be varied indefinitely. With the construction which I have herein described, the wear of the contact `faces of the valve members is reduced to a minimum and the wearing of grooves or ridges therein is practically eliminated, whereby a uniform, non-leaking contact may bemaintained between the valve seats, thus increasing the eiiiciency and prolonging the life of the machine.

Briefly described, the operation of the air pressure governingmeans is as follows: As the carrier rotates with the cans clamped in position, air at the tank or supply pressure will be admitted to the cans successively when the ports 29 come into alinement with the stationary port 39. After the particular' port 29 has passed the port 39, the air will be sealed in the particular can and if no leakage occurs, when the said port 29 in question comes inalinement with the port 43, no change in the pressure on the top side of the diaphragm 46 takes place so that the lever 49 is not operated or disturbed and hence the electric circuit is not closed land the can will be ejected from the machine at the proper point where the good or sound cans are removed. If. however, any leakage of the air in the can takes place after its corresponding port 29 has passed the port 39,the pressure on the top of the ag a,

diaphragm 46 will be lowered when said port 29 alines with the port 43, thereby provided with a suitable arrangement for operating a trip which ejects the unsound cans from the machine at a point in advance where the good or sound cans are ejected, thereby separating the leaky and sound cans. Where a leaky can is thus located and the pressure on the opposite sides ofthe diaphragm 46 unbalanced, it becomes necessary immediately to equalize the pressures on both sides of the diaphragm. This is accomplished by a port coming into alinement with the port 42, all of the ports 30 being in communication with the an-4 nular recess 32 which always 'contains air at the tank or supply pressure, since it is regularly being brought into communication with the port 40 which is always in direct communication with the source of supply of compressed air.

Although I have herein shown and described my improved valve mechanism as used with a machine of the type shown in the drawings, .yet it will be understood that the same may be used with machines of other types and constructions and I do not wish to be limited by the particular type of machine hereinshown and described. It willl also be apparent that various changes and modifications maybe made in the various -a second rotary member whereby to vary the relative positions of the contacting surparts of the valve proper and the mechanism forimparting the eccentric movements without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all' such changes and modications which bring about a change of position of the contacting surfaces of a valve mechanism y are contemplated as fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l'. A valve mechanism for can testing machines, said mechanism including a nonrotatable -member and a rotatable member having coperating ports on their contacting Vsurfaces periodically brought into alinement,

a second rotatable member having an eccentric and having a slide whereby it is connected with said non-rotatable member, and means for imparting a rotary movement to eccentric movement to the non-rotatable disk,

the period of eccentric movement being slightly diiferent from the period of rotation of the rotatable disk whereby said disks assume the same relative positions only once 1n a relatively large number of rotations of .the rotatable disk, substantially as specied.

3. In a valve mechanism for can testing machines and other purposes, the combination of a non-rotatable member and a rotatable member having cooperating ports on their contacting surfaces for the passage of a fluid, means for rotating said rotatable member to cause successive communication of said ports with each other, and means for sliding oney of said members on the other member in directions irrespective of said rotation of one of said members.

4. In a valve mechanism for can testing machines and other purposes, the combination of a non-rotatable member and a rotatable member having coperating ports on their contacting surfaces for the passage of a fluid, means for rotating saidrotatable member to cause successive communication of said ports with each other, and means for sliding one of said members on the other member in directions. irrespective of said rotation of one of said members, and for causing said sliding movement to becompleted at different times from the completion of said rotating movement.

5. In a valve mechanism for can testing machines and other purposes, the combination of a non-rotatable member and a rotatable member having coperating ports on their contacting surfaces for the passage of a fluid, means for rotating said rotatable member to cause successive communication of said ports with each other, and means for sliding one of said members on the other member and preventing said members from returning to the same relative position until after said rotatable member has performed a plurality of revolutions.

6. The combination with a valve mechanism consisting of a non-rotatable member and a rotatable member having coperating' ports onv their contacting surfaces periodically brought into alinement for the passage of a iiuid,4 of means for rotating said rotatable member circularly to cause successive communication of said ports, and means for imparting movement to one of said valve members whereby to vary the relative position of the contacting surfaces, said movement being additional and eccentric to said rotation of the rotatable member.

7. In a valve mechanism for can testing machines and other purposes, the combination of a non-rotatable member and a rotatable member having coperating ports on their contacting surfaces for the passage of a fluid, means for rotating said rotatable member to cause successive communication of said ports with each other, and means comprising gears varying from each other lin the number-sof their teeth for sliding one 'jdt of said members on the other member in directions irrespective of said rotation of one of said members.

8. The combination with a valve mechanism consisting of a non-rotatable member and a rotatable member having coperating ports on their contacting surfaces periodically brought into alinernent for the passage of a fluid, of means for rotating saidrotatable member circularly to cause successive communication of said ports, and means comprising an eccentric and gears varying from each other in the numbers of their teeth for In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature, in the .presence of tvvo Witmesses; this 26th day of July, 1913.

JAMES W; DXON.

Witnesses: i

W. J. LYNCH,l JOSEPH HARRIS. 

